AAAs award winner Becky Walker on her passport to success with OTT

Travel agent Becky Walker has highlighted the value of continuous learning after winning the OTT Expert award at this year’s Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards on July 9.

Walker, who works for Club Voyages, believes training has helped her establish herself as a trusted expert during her three-and-a-half years in the travel industry. She says: “The knowledge I gain from OTT courses is invaluable. Clients really trust my advice and see me as the expert.” That knowledge has practical value too. When disruption in the Middle East affected clients travelling to Sri Lanka via Qatar, Walker found an alternative route with Air India through Mumbai and returned to the OTT course to confirm the details before advising them.

She also enjoys courses which cover less-familiar destinations. “Having knowledge of niche destinations such as St Helena can really set you apart as an agent,” she says. “You might not have booked them yet but having that knowledge in your arsenal means you could in the future.”

Her advice to agents? “Swap 20 minutes of scrolling for a training module. Increasing your knowledge could ultimately increase your sales,” she adds. “There are always new destinations, ships, hotels and routes to learn about. You have to keep learning – and when other people in the industry recognise and respect your knowledge, that means the world.”